The score was deadlocked at 20-20 in the 78th minute and golden-point extra time seemed imminent before Hodkinson coolly split the posts with the crucial one-pointer.

The Warriors had led 10-6 at half-time and scored four tries to three for the match, but it was the Bulldogs who finished the stronger of the two sides to claim the competition points.

In a week dominated by the departure of coach Matt Elliott and an undignified dispute between the club's owners, a committed effort by the Warriors players made a good effort to put the focus back on rugby league.

But after the Warriors took an early 10-0 lead, the Bulldogs hung in the contest and came back from eight points down with 12 minutes to go to level scores before Hodkinson sealed the victory.

The Warriors put prop Ben Matulino to the second row after an injury to Jayson Bukuya and it paid off early when two offloads in the first 25 minutes led to tries to Sam Tomkins and Manu Vatuvei.

But a mistake by Matulino after the second kick-off gave the Bulldogs a set of possession from which Sam Perrett strolled over, cutting the Warriors' lead to four points at the break.

Konrad Hurrell scored shortly after half-time following a Thomas Leuluai break, but Vatuvei's mistake led to a Tony Williams try five minutes later, and Hodkinson's conversion brought the score to 14-12.

Warriors captain Simon Mannering restored an eight-point lead a few minutes later, and they looked to secure the win with sustained pressure for the next five minutes.

But the Bulldogs held on in defence and went on the attack when Hodkinson picked up a loose Warriors pass 20 metres from his own line and ran 70 metres, leading to a try to Tim Lafai on the next play.

Scores were levelled with a Hodkinson penalty with six minutes to play, and after Leuluai missed a field goal, Hodkinson made no mistake at the other end.